MESSAGE TITLE
Aftershock Week 3: Preparation
weekend in review
You GIVE FIRST to get God involved in your finances by returning the tithe to him. You SAVE to give yourself margin. And then you LIVE on the rest.
WARM UP
Begin with some conversation, checking in on how people are doing. You can talk about whatever you’d like, but here are potential questions to get the conversation going.
Have you experienced an earthquake? How about living with ongoing aftershocks? How did it make you feel?
Can you recall a complete-waste-of-my-money purchase you regret making?
DISCUSS
Select 5-6 questions from the list below to guide your discussion time.
Gene described what economist call a K-shaped recovery. Would you classify yourself as topside or downside right now?
Read Leviticus 18:1-5. What promise did God make to those who would practice his ways rather than the ways of the atheists in Egypt?
What do you think of Gene’s description of an economic atheist?
A believer’s salvation in Jesus is established. However, how we live our lives matters. As we each come to understand God’s ways and put our trust in him by adopting his ways, we live within what Gene called the fence of God’s favor.
Gene pointed out that inside this fence is where we find blessing, feasting, and life. Describe an experience when you have benefited from choosing to live “inside the fence.”
What do you think of the 10/10/80 plan: Give/Save/Live plan? Which of the three is (or would be) the hardest for you to accomplish each month?
Read Leviticus 19:23-25. Gene encouraged us to honor the economic cycle of sow, grow and harvest. Which season do you find yourself in currently?
Read Leviticus 19:9-10, 13b. Gene talked about the three groups — the owner, the poor, and the hired workers — pointing out that all are called to live within their budget. If you have a budget, what area of your life do you struggle with the most to live within it?
What financial principles or practices did you learn from your family? If you have children, what are you planning to teach them, to model for them, financially?
If you have followed a plan like 10/10/80, share a story of how God has honored your choices.
application
If you need accountability, share how the group can encourage you live inside your budget and honor the economic cycle.
Consider signing up for Financial Peace University starting in January.
WRAP UP & PRAYER
Share prayer requests and spend time praying for each other.
Close in prayer: God, help us to have exercise the self-leadership needed to get inside the fence of your favor. I pray that you would give us wisdom and strength to live inside our budgets and to honor your economic cycle. May we have the spirit today and in the weeks to come that whatever you lead us to do, we will do… and as a result we will experience the life and hope Jesus intended us to experience… life to the full.